Roundup: for the week ending 6 July 2014

A roundup of ICT/technology news from across the Caribbean region during the period Monday 30 June to Sunday 6 July 2014.

Monday, 30 June 2014

Bright Path to Digital Careers at TechLink Barbados

Barbados – More than thirty young Barbadians learned basic skills for developing successful mobile apps and producing high-quality digital photography at a special workshop facilitated by the BrightPath Foundation, in collaboration with Columbus Communications… more

Belize Telemedia Explains Countrywide Internet Issues

Belize – Belize Telemedia Ltd. (BTL) advises its DSL customers that the Company continues to experience connectivity or slow browsing issues with our internet service… more

Why do local companies not reply to queries transmitted through their websites?

Guyana – Dear Editor, Over a period of time I have been browsing a lot of companies/organizations’ websites and whilst doing that I would click on the link to contact the sites with queries or comments like GPL Inc, NM Services Ltd, GT&T, Guyana Police Force, Food for the Poor (Guyana) etc… more

WIPO And Caribbean IP, What’s The Point?

Regional – Recent months have seen a few interesting intellectual property symposia in the Caribbean, in particular the WIPO–JIPO Regional Conference on IP and creative industries which was held in Jamaica from February 10-12 2014… more

Tuesday, 1 July 2014

‘Let Rivals Compete With Sub-Standard BTC Service’

Bahamas – A LOCAL businessman yesterday criticised the Bahamas Telecommunications Company for its “sub-standard” service and made an impassioned appeal to the government to hasten its steps to introduce a competitor to the market… more

Belize – Belize Telemedia Ltd., the government owned telephone company in Belize, claims a DoS attack is responsible for Internet and mobile delivery services problems it has been experiencing for over a week… more

BTL addresses network issues

Belize – For at least the past two weeks, having trouble accessing the internet on state-run telecommunications company Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL)’s network? … more

BTL Internet Under Attack

Belize – The nation’s premier telecommunications service provider, Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL), has indicated to us that for nearly two weeks now, it has been grappling with external attacks on its servers … more

BTL Working out Against Internet Attacks

Belize – Have you been having trouble accessing the internet on state-run telecommunications company Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL)’s network? … more

Hackers Causing Your Internet Failures

Belize – For the past two days – users of BTL’s broadband service have been taken back to the early 90’s – a time before the internet… more

IP law reform could attract more tech companies to Cayman

Cayman Islands – An update to Cayman’s intellectual property (IP) laws could open the gates for a boom in the island’s high-tech sector… more

GT&T’s customers can now pay taxes using their cell phones

Guyana – Mobile Money Guyana Incorporated (MMG), a mobile financial service provider has been recently added to the list of collecting agents for tax and licence payments to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA)… more

Wednesday, 2 July 2014

BTL Broadband Woes Continue

Belize – BTL’s pitch line is about its stable, reliable broadband, but as we’ve reported for the past 10 days, it’s been anything but that… more

Radio licence delays… Broadcasting Authority still to consider applications from media houses

Guyana – Almost three years after a number of radio licences were approved under controversial circumstances by former President Bharrat Jagdeo, applications by a number of media houses are still to be considered… more

Digicel Jamaica blocks VoIP applications

Jamaica – Digicel Jamaica has decided to block a number of VoIP applications… more

Digicel, LIME Follow Through On VoIP Blockade

Jamaica – Following its weekend warning, Digicel Jamaica has now blocked Viber and other unlicensed Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services in this market… more

IT technician remanded in Tax Administration cybercrime case

Jamaica – An IT technician charged under the Cybercrimes Act was remanded when he appeared in the Half-Way-Tree Resident Magistrate’s Court on Monday… more

Viber Defiant, Says Service Will Bypass Blockade

Jamaica – Talmon Marco, CEO and founder of Viber Media, said Tuesday night that the service will soon be up and running, notwithstanding efforts by Digicel and LIME to derail it… more

TATT celebrates ten year anniversary

Trinidad and Tobago – THE Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) celebrated its ten-year anniversary yesterday with an Interfaith Service at Queen’s Hall St Ann’s… more

Thursday, 3 July 2014

GT&T to save money from E-Billing system

Guyana – The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) expects to spend less on the preparation and postage of telephone bills as more customers shift to the newly-introduced E-Billing system… more

Letter Of The Day – Digicel And LIME’s Move To Ban VoIP Apps Bad For Innovation

Jamaica – THE EDITOR, Sir: The move by Jamaica’s two telecoms to ban voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) applications on their networks sets a dangerous precedent and will inevitably stifle innovation in Jamaica… more

OUR to discuss bar on VoIP by cell phone companies

Jamaica – The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) says that it will meet with consumer groups and telecommunication service providers Digicel and LIME to discuss complaints sparked by the companies’ decision to bar unlicensed Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) applications from their network… more

Driving growth through telecommunications

Trinidad and Tobago – INTERNATIONAL buyers and exhibitors from over 35 countries have assembled on the shores of the region’s financial capital to participate in the Caribbean’s largest business-to-business trade show; the fifteenth annual Trade and Investment Convention… more

Friday, 4 July 2014

Gov’t To Close 30,000 Household ‘Digital Divide’

Bahamas – The Government has pledged to close a ‘digital divide’ that has left 30,000 Bahamian households without fixed broadband Internet services, warning that it is “of critical importance that the Bahamas never drops the ball” on electronic communications… more

BTL says Belize was on “top 10” list for cyber-attacks

Belize – Representatives of the Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) called a press conference on Tuesday afternoon to update the media on efforts to try to contain what the company said is a flood of attacks against its web servers, originating out of China and Hong Kong… more

GT&T facilitates online payment of bills

Guyana – As E-commerce gains momentum locally, the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) yesterday launched its online billing service with the aim of saving money and making customers happier… more

Applications open for Start-up Jamaica

Jamaica – The Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy, and Mining is now accepting applications for the Government’s youth entrepreneurship programme, Start-Up Jamaica… more

BPO math: US$50-m office build-out could create 10,000 jobs

Jamaica – FOR US$900,000 ($100.8 million), a new 200-seat call centre incubator will be built in the Montego Bay free zone… more

Compete Caribbean Program Gets US$500,000 Boost

Jamaica – Jamaica’s Information and Communication Technology and Business Process Outsourcing (ICT/BPO) sector has been boosted by the provision of a $56 million (US$500,000) grant, under the Compete Caribbean Programme… more

GOVT to accelerate pace of Technology Development under Start-Up Jamaica

Jamaica – The 100-day accelerator development period prescribed for technology entrepreneurs under the Start-up Jamaica project, is to enable them to develop their ideas into prototypes in the shortest possible time… more

Letter Of The Day – Digicel Boss: No Free Ride For Parasitic Viber

Jamaica – THE EDITOR, Sir: Following the article published in The Gleaner on Wednesday, July 2, 2014, titled ‘Viber defiant, says service will bypass blockade’, it is incumbent on me to respond on behalf of Digicel and to inform your readers of the true, factual position in relation to this matter… more

Ridiculous Blackout By LIME, Digicel

Jamaica – THE EDITOR, Sir: I buy a two-day 500-megabyte data plan from my mobile telephone provider. This is a service I am paying for, which should allow me to browse whatever content I want, download what I want, and certainly use whatever applications I want… more

Viber System Fights Back Against Digicel and LIME Blockages in Jamaica

Jamaica – This week, Jamaican carrier Digicel blocked Viber, something that has seemingly occurred every summer. It’s likely that carrier-driven blocks such as this (not like government blocks) will continue, and that’s why Viber is taking the initiative to stop it… more

Wheatley concerned over Digicel, LIME’s block of VoIP

Jamaica – Opposition Spokesman on ICT, Digital Society Development and the Environment, Dr Andrew Wheatley, is expressing concern regarding the recently announced action of telecommunications providers LIME and Digicel to block the use of certain VoIP applications, such as Skype & Viber, on their networks… more

Regulators to review high speed Internet pricing

Saint Kitts and Nevis – St. Kitts and Nevis will host persons from regulatory agencies across the region who will participate in four days of training on effective price regulation for broadband services (high speed internet)… more

Trinidad Opens Long Awaited “Tamana” Technology Park

Trinidad and Tobago – Trinidad and Tobago has unveiled its first Science & Technology Park, bolstering its ICT infrastructure to lure foreign investments in technology sector… more

Saturday, 5 July 2014

Crackdown On Lottery Scammers

Jamaica – A 16-year-old boy and his 36-year-old mother are among three lottery scammers to be sentenced tomorrow after they pleaded guilty in the St Elizabeth Circuit Court… more

Jamaican develops device for phone selfies, security

Jamaica – SELFR, a handheld gadget that snaps photos on smartphones in order to avoid clumsy self-portraits, or selfies, began taking pre-orders this month in a crowdfunding campaign, according to AccuTrak Labs… more

OUR discussions over LIME, Digicel’s block of VoIP continue

Jamaica – The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) is holding meetings with sector stakeholders to discuss the decision by Dicigel and LIME to block applications that allow users to make free phone calls over the internet… more

Viber, Others Robbing Jamaica Of Revenue, Digicel Says

Jamaica – I am writing in response to Gordon Swaby’s letter that was published in The Gleaner on July 3, 2014. We thank Mr Swaby for taking the time to voice his concerns and would like to use this forum to clarify some of the issues raised by him… more

Public Advisory: Digicel T&T To Block Unlicenced VoIP Providers

Trinidad and Tobago – Digicel is announcing that, effective immediately, unlicenced VOIP services are blocked on its network. Unlicenced VOIP operators like Viber and Nimbuzz use telecoms networks to deliver their services, but do not pay the requisite money for the privilege… more

Sunday, 6 July 2014

Credit card fraud hike

Bahamas – Bahamas police are reporting that cases of credit card fraud have doubled in the first half of the year, compared to the same period last year… more